Location Diaries: Aari Arjunan—Life comes a full circle

Actor Aari Arjunan will next be seen in director Cheran's OTT debut, titled Cheran's Journey. Being a part of the series, which also includes cast members like Sarathkumar, Kalaiyarasan, Prasanna, and Divya Bharathi, turned out to be a memorable experience for Aari.

"When I wanted to become an actor, one of the first people I approached was Cheran sir. But somehow, it's only now, 15 years later that I actually got to act in his film. So it was a most surreal feeling for me every day on sets. Like the title, I went through an entire journey to reach where I am today." says Aari Arjunan.

Shooting with a large ensemble cast of over 30 artists was both a fun and a learning experience for Aari. Talking about working with a veteran actor like Sarathkumar, Aari says, "Having watched Sarathkumar sir's films, and looking up to him for so many years, I felt all of us were lucky to work with a senior like him and learn just by observing him each day." 

Sarathkumar's preparation before every scene was inspirational, "During our combination scenes I noticed how well prepared he was with his lines and how fast he would deliver his dialogues. His memory power is amazing. Moreover, he would keep adding little gestures, working on the body language of his character and the nuances of his lines. His techniques would add value to the scene, which was a delight to watch up close. And yet, he always gave every actor space to perform."

The atmosphere on sets was always lively, thanks to the bonhomie amongst the cast, "There was a regular stream of witty repartee between Sarath sir and all of us. He has an amazing sense of humour. There was a healthy competition about who arrived first on sets. Invariably it would always be Sarathkumar sir only. During breaks, it was exciting to hear him share his experiences in cinema."

Working with director Cheran was an unforgettable experience for Aari. "It was like attending an acting school. His way of working was different and very challenging. For instance, for a wide master shot involving several actors, he insisted that all of us should know each other's lines and how the entire scene flowed. That way our reactions would have more emotion and the timing would be just right, without gaps. The intensity of the scene would be more potent. A round trolley shot would capture everything, without cuts. It was like enacting a live scene on stage for a play and therefore both challenging and exciting for me." 
Being on sets each day also made him emotional, "I've had the rare opportunity of acting with two legends. I shared screen space with Bharathi Raja sir and K Balachander sir in Rettai Chuzhi. Now, being part of a project in which Cheran sir and Sarathkumar sir come together again after their film 'Cheran Pandiyan' was very special for me."

 But the web series is special for him for another reason as well, "I have known Cheran sir before I became an actor, since I was his fitness trainer earlier. I've admired the way he explores different stories in every film. Now he's entering the OTT space with a contemporary theme and I feel both proud and thrilled to have been a part of his journey."